Yard and Garden: Helpful Hints and Tips

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

13 Apr 2006 05:51 AM

Maintaining a pleasant yard or garden can be a lot of work. Try some of these helpful hints to make lawn and garden maintenance simpler:

1. Plant some marigolds around the entrance to your home to keep bugs away. They don't like the fragrance.

2. It is a good idea to plant onions, hot peppers, and herbs such as chives or garlic around the perimeter of your garden. The naturally strong, pungent aromas will help ward off pests.

3. Rainwater is best for plants because it contains more of the minerals plants need than tap water does, so collect rainwater and use it to water your flowers or garden on dry days. Water plants in the late afternoon or evening instead of during the brightest sunlight.

4. Do not sprinkle plant food granules over plants. Work them into the soil instead. Granules that remain on plants can cause leaves, stems, and buds to become dried out or scorched.

5. Disconnect your garden hose from the spigot after use, and drain any water that remains in the length of hose to avoid mildew and bacteria build up.

6. Compost makes excellent natural fertilizer for nearly any type of planting (see article on composting).

7. If you have a sandbox, cover it at night to keep neighborhood strays from using it as a litter box.

8. Turn sand toys (and pool toys) upside down at night to drain excess water. This helps avoid mold, mildew, and bacteria growth on toys, and prevents water from sitting and becoming stagnant, which will attract mosquitoes.

9. If you don't have a shed, or if some of your lawn and garden tools remain outdoors for other reasons, turn those that may collect water upside down, or keep them covered, to avoid rust.

10. Give your children a dishpan filled with clean water to rinse their feet off each time they enter the wading pool. This will help keep the water cleaner by keeping grass and other debris out. It will also help you save water (and money), since you can rinse and refill the dishpan as needed, instead of refilling the pool.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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